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. IINrTED STATES PATENT. IQFFICEO WILLIAM D. KEARNS, or PITTSBURG,"PENNSYLVANIA.

SPLINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,512, dated April l, 1885;

Application filed February 2. 1885. (So model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. KEARNS, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement'in Splints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

- My invention relates to an. improvement in v p in the art of surgery, it is the form and flex-. ion of the dorsal splint which governs the splints for fractureof the forearm or wrist, especially for that kind known as Oolles fracture; and it consists in providing the splint with apeculiar retrofiexion for the purpose of giving greater ease to the patient and efficiency in causing the parts to knit and heal in proper shape.

In experienceI have foundthat in many if not most cases of fracture of the forearm or wrist the slpints should be applied so that the metacarpal phalanges of the hand may be'bent upward from the plane of the arm at an angle of aboutonehundred andtwenty-twodegrees,'and that it should be left as free to move as pos- This is about the natural inclination of the human hand or that in which the posterior muscular tendons are most completely relaxed, and the continued maintenance of this relaxation of the several tendons, fascize, and ligaments is of paramount importance in the class of fractures above noted.

It is the purpose of my invention to secure these points of advantage, and especially to effect a ready and comfortable maintenance of the required muscular relaxation of theextensors and flexors to their insertion along the phalanges, and of the muscles and fasciae of the hand and thumb.

I will'now describe my improvement with reference to the accompanying drawings, i which Figure l is a side view of myimpro'x'al splints when applied to the human arm. v Fig. 2 is a view of the dorsal splint. Fig. 3 is a view of the palmar splint; and Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of the dorsal splint shown in Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

In the drawings, a represents the dorsal splint, which is made, preferably, of a length about equal to the distance between the elbow and the finger-tips. The brachial surface of this splint or that part which lies along the forearm is longitudinally straight; but at the .hundred and twenty-two degrees, the bendfrom the brachial surface being-sharpand immediate without any substantial depression-at the carpal joint.

As will be readily understood by one skilled position of the hand,and when the retroflexionis of the angle before. noticed the hand will naturally assume this normal and easy -posi-- tion.

The purpose of the immediate fiexion of the dorsal splintis to permit the proper backward bend of the hand. and consequent relaxation of the posterior muscular tendons without any tension or pressure on the carpal bones.

The retroflexion of the splint continues to the position of the articulation of the first andsecond row of phalanges at a and thence it is bent or curved downward, as shown in the drawings, to or nearly to the situation of the finger-tips.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, the retrofiexion from brachial surface and the forward fiexion from the middle joint of the phalanges are made curviform,while they are shown in Figs. 1 and 4, as being made by angular planes. In the former case the splint,when applied,will be in contact with the carpal joint and with the joint (4 though not in contact with the metacarpal surface. In the latter case the splint will approach more nearly to the whole dorsal surface of the hand, thereby giving it less freedom of motion. The circumstances of each case and the nature of the fracture will determine which form should be employed.

Any suitable palmar splint which will sup po ,.':e hand in the proper position against the dorsal splint before described may be used; but the preferable splint is that illustrated in the drawings and designated by the referenceletter b. It is the substantial counterpart of the dorsal splint ai. e., so much of it as ex tends along the forearm is longitudinally straight, while at a point just beyond the flexors of the thumb it is retrofiexed in a curved line at the natural angle of the metacarpal bones or about one hundred and twenty-two pads to control the displacing influence of the degrees. At a the situation of the middle joint of the phalanges of the fingers, it is bent downward to conform to the fiexion of the dorsal splint, and to secure the proper anterior relaxation of the digital flexor muscles and tendons. When this splint is applied the whole palmar surface of the hand, including the ball of the thumb,will rest upon the curves and will be supported in the most comfortable and easy manner possible. When used with my improved dorsal splint, the space left between the dorsal surface of the hand, and the latter splint will be large enough to permit some motion of the fingers and exercise of their several muscles. This is an important feature when it is desired to treat a fracture without detriment to the functions of any of the muscles or tendons; but it is not an indispensable element of my invention.

. My improved splints may be applied to the arm by bandaging or in any of the Well-known methods, and with or without interosseous pronator quadratus and supinator longus, as may be convenient. If desirable, the dorsal splint may be terminated at or near the line a, and the fore part of the fingers left unconfined.

The splints may be made of wood, hard rubber, tinned sheet-iron, zinc, or other suitable materials. Tin and zinc, though not always the best materials, are, however, the most convenient, because of the ease with which they may be bent to fit the arm and hand of the patient, and the readiness with which they may be procured in case of emergency.

Having thus described my improvement so that others skilled in theart may manufacture and use it,what I claim is l. A dorsal splint for treating fracture of the forearm or wrist having a suitable brachial surface retroflexed directly at the wrist without substantial depression at that point to extend over the metacarpal dorsal surface of the hand, at a retroflexed angle from the forearm, substantiallyas described.

2. A palmar splint for treating fracture of the forearm or wrist, having a suitable brachial surface retroflexed beyond the fiexors of the thumb and bent downward at or near the middle joint of the digital phalanges, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a dorsal splint for treating fractures of the forearm or wrist having a suitable brachial surface retroflexed directly at the wrist without substantial depression at that point to extend over the metacarpal dorsal surface of the hand at a retroflexed angle from the forearm, with a palmar splint made the substantial counterpart of the said dorsal splint, and provided with a retroflexed support for the palmar surface of the hand, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of J anuary,A. D. 1885.

WILLIAM D. KEARNS.

Witnesses:

W. B. GonwIN, THOMAS W. BAKEWELL. 

